Clamps fob



E. B. FORBUSH. PAPER CLAMP Patented Sept. 3, 1850.

- UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

E. B. FORBUSH, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

CLAMPS FOR HOLDING PAPER IN WRITING AND DRAWING.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 7,617, dated September 3, 1850.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELIAKIN B. F owners, of the city of Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Paper Clamp; and I do hereby declare that the following is an exact and full description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and the letters and figures marked thereon.

The nature of my invention consists in making an. apparatus to attach to a thin board desk table or other place for the purpose of holding paper or other material firm and smooth in the position in which it is placed for Writing drawing coloring or other purposes.

To enable others skilled in this art to make and use my invention I will proceed to describe its construct-ion and operation.

I make the clamping slides (shown in the acompanying drawings Figs. 1 and 2, at A) of sheet brass or steel, cut into thin narrow strips of the required length, and round them at eachend so as to make an aperture or tube to receive the parallel rods B, at right angles with the length of the slides.

I make the straight rods B from common iron or steel wire of any required size and about 15 inches long with a head at one end and a pin through the other, to keep them from slipping through the springs D, when put in use.

The lever C is also made of wire of the proper size and its peculiar shape given it by bending. The projecting arms of the v lever are about g of an inch long and should be flattened and filed at the ends to a half circle, so as to clasp the rods and move easily upon them. This lever is fastened on the under side of the board or cover by means of screws or rivets and narrow strips of metal, the fastenings forming two fulcrums in which the lever turns. The lever should be midway between the springs, the arms lightly touching the rods horizontally and parallel so that a slight turn of the lever will carry up the arms to a perpendicular position thereby raising the rods and slides.

The springs D, are made of thin sheet steel cut and bent into the proper shape and tempered and polished. They are fastened on the under side of the board or cover by screw or rivets at the proper place to receive the rods and slides. They should be about 14 inches apart. The rods pass through the springs as seen at D and through the slides as seen at G in Fig. 1. The slides being on the upper and the springs on the under side of the board or cover. An open sloping mortise must be cut in the board or cover so as to permit the springs to bend up as far as required. The whole are arranged on a board E, put together and operate as seen in the drawings Figs. 1 and 2, the slides beiBng elevated to their highest position in The slides being raised by turning the lever the paper upon which you Wish to write or draw is put under the slides and the force of the springs holds the slides upon the paper causing it to lie firm and smooth. Whenever it is desired to move the paper, a gentle turn of the lever with the thumb and finger of the left hand at H will elevate the arms to a perpendicular position, thereby raising the rods and slides and liberating the paper. The paper being again placed where desired, a slight touch of the lever will again bring the slides upon the paper with all the power of the springs. The slides are not in the way of the hand While writing, they can easily be moved over the surface of the paper without being raised from it.

The board E or support upon which this apparatus is placed may be of any required size, but must be less in width than the slides are in length so as to bring the rods on the outside leaving sufficient room between the rods and board for the slides to move easily upon the rods. The board or support to which this apparatus is attached should be covered with velvet or other material affording an elastic yield to the pen. For an office or studio this apparatus would be attached to a thin board about 11 inches wide and 20 inches long secured from warping by pieces being framed in across the ends, which pieces might properly extend below the board about half an inch. For a portable desk for students at school or occasional use in a private family, or for traveling, or for reporting speeches at public places it would be attached to a portfolio or to the lid or cover of a desk making a convenient receptacle for stationary &c., always at hand tially in the manner and for the purpose as when required for use. d d herein set forth.

What I claim as my invention an esire to secure by Letters Patent is ELIAKIN FORBUSH' 5 The clamping slides A, made to slide Witnesses:

freely on the parallel rods B, operated by JAMES H. MILLs, the lever C, and the springs D, substan- O. T. SHATTUCK. 

